Beautiful Places
This weekend I went on a little trip to nearby Philadelphia. It was a bit cold, but I saw some great things. I went to the classics, like the Reading Terminal Market, Liberty Bell, and Constitution Museum, but I also found a few gems a bit farther off the beaten path.
My two new favorite places in Philadelphia are the Rodin Museum and little park across from the Rodin Museum called Calders on the Parkway. The Rodin Museum in Philadelphia is tiny, but reminds me a lot of the Musee Rodin in Paris. There is a similar outdoor fountain area and Rodin’s Thinker out in front.
Right across the street from the Rodin Museum is a little park filled with one large red Calder sculptor and a few smaller black ones.
I was amazed to find this little treasure, but soon found out that Calder had a long history with the city of Philadelphia. Alexander, also known as Sandy Calder is the Calder known and loved the world over for his mobiles and sculptures. His father, Alexander Stirling Calder taught at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and is known for the Swann Memorial Fountain in Philadelphia. Furthermore, Sandy Calder’s grandfather, Alexander Milne Calder created the famous statue of William Penn that stands atop Philadelphia City Hall.
Oh Calder, you will never cease to amaze me.
Also, there are plans to create a Calder Museum near the Calders on the Parkway. Fantastic!
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